Birmingham City captain Kenny Cunningham wants Blues to be more clinical in front of goal in their forthcoming derby matches against West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.
Birmingham go into Sunday's Premiership derby at The Hawthorns on the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, courtesy of two well-taken penalties by former Blues striker Andy Johnson.
Cunningham says Birmingham were given another lesson in finishing by Palace who, for the second time this season, fashioned fewer chances than Steve Bruce's side yet still won.
"We'll dust ourselves down and get on with it as we have a big game next," said Cunningham. "It is important we put this disappointment behind us and focus on that one. I thought we competed quite well but the decisive moments were the penalties and they put them away.
"In this league, it is all about being clinical in front of goal. Crystal Palace came to St Andrew's earlier in the season, didn't create too many chances but they still won."
While Johnson again offered Birmingham another painful reminder of his blossoming attacking talent, the visitors' chief culprit in front of goal was Clinton Morrison, who blew two good scoring chances.
Morrison, who moved to Birmingham for £4.25 million in July 2002 with Johnson going the other way in partexchange, grazed a post when clean through and also managed to divert wide Walter Pandiani's goal- bound header.
Cunningham added: "We weren't too disappointed in the first half, we created some decent clear-cut chances. Conceding the penalty late on in the first half was disappointing and in the second half we never really got going and were unable to put them on the back foot.
"We are disappointed to lose, especially at this stage of the season against a side around us in the table.
"They are big games for us and the type of games we have normally won in the last couple of years but Palace have taken six points off us this season and that is disappointing."
Cunningham did, however, give Palace plenty of credit and said that in Johnson, who now has 18 Premiership goals this term, they possess a lethal striker.
He added: "Andy Johnson has been an excellent acquisition and I think he has matured as a player. He is very sharp, a good runner and intelligent with the type of runs he makes.
"I am not surprised by the haul of goals he has got. He has been a massive asset for Crystal Palace and could be the deciding factor in them staying up."
